


trees that do not hide

by Kazzy



Category: Dark Angel, Haven - Fandom
Genre: Case Fic, Crossover, F/M, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-08
Updated: 2013-03-16
Packaged: 2017-11-28 14:52:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 16
Words: 20,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/675625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kazzy/pseuds/Kazzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Logan and Alec’s first week in Haven went well. Their second not so much.</p><p>
  <span class="small">Post season 2 (Dark Angel); between 3x06-3x07 (Haven)</span>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Alec

**Author's Note:**

  * For [YanzaDracan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/YanzaDracan/gifts).



> In order to make this work, I’ve had to bend a few universes. This is story is set in the Dark Angel universe, but moved forward 10 years...ie the Pulse happened in 1999 and all the (DA) characters were born ten years earlier...so this story happens in 2010 (which is when Haven is set). Neither show belongs to me. The title comes from a lyric from the Run Lola Run soundtrack.
> 
> Thanks to forhimxx for the beta.

**Prologue: Alec**

Alec’s first look at Haven prompts the comment, “Do they even know that the Pulse happened?”

And it is true that on first glance Haven appears to be some pre-Pulse relic somehow caught unchanging in time. Most of the buildings are in good condition, and look to have been painted in the not-too-distant past. Lawns well-kept, trimmed by a combination of gardens, hedges and the occasional picket fence in good repair. The streets are clean and free of abandoned cars, household items and dead bodies, and the citizens seem unconcerned about wandering around at any time of day or night. To all appearances the local police, legal system and town council seem surprisingly free of corruption, while health care is easily obtained and costs are not bumped up by doctors requiring bribes.

Closer observation revealed that it is not quite the image that it projects. There are more shops boarded over and shut than open. Few people own cars. Most of the town income is completely dependent on what they refer to as ‘the summer people’ and wealthy farm owners. The infrastructure is completely unable to handle the sheer number of gas leaks, water contamination, and freak weather patterns that seemed to plague the town. Crime rates were low (some of the lowest in the country), but the number of people who were ‘lost at sea’ or killed in ‘tragic accidents’ was monumentally high. 

And then there are the rumours of secret societies and gangs and the members of the church who suggest Logan and Alec should join so to limit their contact with certain ‘afflicted individuals’. Alec asks if he and Logan shouldn’t be considered ‘afflicted’, to which the confused church-goer blinks, asks ‘afflicted with what?’ and the conversation just disintegrates into confusion from there.

“Is the breeding cult active here or not?” he asks Logan later. “Because these guys certainly seem more interested in God than world domination.”

“I don’t know. But a lot of strange things happen here.”

“Hmmm,” says Alec because he actually was there for the previous three discussions on the weirdness of the weather patterns and frequent gas leaks. He still has another two to go before he gets roped into investigating, the only thing that has prevented it so far is Logan can’t actually find anything to investigate. If there are any secrets in this town they’re very well buried.

Alec kisses Logan briefly and heads to work.

-x-x-x-

Alec works at a restaurant/bar, The Grey Gull, and according to Logan its owner has a criminal record a mile long. Duke’s all right though, if you forgive the lack of dress sense. He also seems to know half the local police force, who have no qualms coming in for a meal or a drink or renting a room from Duke. But Alec is a judgement free zone – especially when the cops in question are as pretty Audrey Parker and Nathan Wuornos.

Logan insists there is no corruption, but Alec isn’t certain how the Chief of Police and a smuggler can be drinking buddies and there not be corruption. But again, he is not judging...not unless they are part of the breeding cult.

Serving drinks isn’t Alec’s first choice of career, but Haven doesn’t have a message service and there’s not a lot else in this town that he’s qualified to do. Nothing that he wants to admit to at any rate; nothing that won’t ultimately end him up in more trouble than he needs. Logan makes good money from the articles he writes, but it isn’t always regular work and they both need to eat. Haven has a newspaper, but it’s small enough that the owners have no need for any more contributors and claim not to have enough money to buy articles from anyone freelance.

Duke’s in fine form tonight, moving around the room, schmoozing his customers when the Chief of Police darkens the door, blond partner in tow. They make a beeline for Duke who stops what he’s doing, and turns to usher them over to a quiet corner.

Alec fixes a gin and tonic for a slightly tipsy older woman, accepts her cash and gives her change all without paying attention to what he’s doing. His focus is on the huddle in the corner. As he tunes his hearing into to catch what they’re saying, he’s careful not to look at them, focuses on fixing martinis for the pair of businesswomen at the bar with his hands, looks around the room, and notices he’s not the only one curious about the whispered conversation.

No one is staring outright, but tension is rolling off the three and it’s garnering attention. The murmur of voices rises and Alec catches phrases such as ‘troubles’, ‘this damned town’ and ‘cops hassling innocents instead of protecting them’ – none of which makes much sense to Alec given what he’s seen of Haven, but matches the weirdness that is becoming more and more apparent as the weeks pass. Of Duke’s conversation with the police, most of it is blocked by the noise of the diners, but he does hear ‘bolt-gun killer’ and files that away to ask Logan about later. After all his partner is keeping tabs on what goes on in this town.

It’s less than five minutes before the Chief leaves and the blond wanders over and orders a glass of wine from Alec. Duke resumes his cheerful circuit of the room, stopping at one table to answer a question, his words clearly floating back to the bar.

“Oh, you know the cops – always bothering honest business men.” He throws a grin to Audrey who rolls her eyes in response, but seems relatively unconcerned. Neither of them have quite managed to throw off the tension which hovered around their earlier conversation. The diners, however, have relaxed and returned to their meals.

An old man sitting at the bar chuckles, speaking half to Alec, half to Audrey. “That Nathan Wuornos and Duke Crocker been like that since they were kids. One minute thick as thieves, the next you were pulling one off the other.” He laughs again and smiles at the blond cop to his right. “It’s a brave woman that can come between those two, Officer Parker.”

Audrey laughs. “Nah, they’re both just kittens, really.” But Alec is adept at spotting liars – even very good ones – it’s all part of his training, and the heavy dose of survival instinct that he’s developed to help survive, first at Manticore, and then in a world that is increasingly hostile to transgenics. Audrey Parker is lying, but whether about whatever is going on between the smugger and the Chief of Police or something else, he isn’t quite sure.

All he knows is Audrey Parker drinks three glasses of wine and doesn’t speak to Duke again before heading up to her apartment above The Gull.

-x-x-x-

“What do you know about a ‘bolt-gun killer’?” Alec asks Logan that night. He doesn’t like it when he comes home and his partner is still awake, but he decides to make use of it.

“Serial Killer. Kills people with a bolt-gun. Three known victims. Haven PD has no leads, but has managed to somehow connect the case to an unsolved murder 27 years ago,” Logan rattles off obediently. “Why?”

“I overheard my boss talking to the Chief of Police about it.”

“Think he’s a suspect?” Logan perks up at the thought of delving more deeply into the mysteries and conspiracies of Haven.

Alec thinks back to the closed off postures of the three. They’d been shutting the rest of the world out, but not each other, and while their conversation may have been confidential none of them seemed to care who saw them talking together. “No,” he says.

“Interesting,” says Logan and begins to turn back to his computers.

“We’re not investigating tonight!” Already, it’s nearly 3am; Alec only needs a handful of hours sleep a night, but Logan gets cranky if he doesn’t get at least six hours.

And there will be plenty time in the morning to hack further into Haven PD’s database.


	2. Day 1: Audrey

**Day 1: Audrey**

A cup of coffee is sitting on Audrey’s desk when she arrives at the station in the morning, just like every morning that she arrives after Nathan. She smiles wistfully, takes a sip, and wishes for years not days.

“Parker, we’ve got a call.” Nathan’s gone from her door before she can form a response.

Sighing she grabs the jacket she’s just hung up and clutching the coffee for dear life, she follows him out to his truck. He’s waiting for her impatiently and starts the engine as soon as she has her belt buckled. Her drink sloshes dangerously, but the lid keeps it from doing much more than spluttering at the opening.

“What’s the rush?” she says.

“Homicide.”

Audrey does not ask him if he thinks the body will get up and walk away before they get there, because that would be facetious and this is Haven. For all they know, the body may very well get up and walk away before they get there – they haven’t encountered a zombie Trouble yet so Audrey figures it is probably just a matter of time. But that still leaves one important detail out of the equation.

“Is it the bolt-gun killer?”

“Don’t know.”

He’s being even more mono-syllabic than usual, enough so that if she didn’t know better she’d think he’d been fighting with Duke again, but this reticence is her own doing. She’s the one who pushed him away and now he’s off making nice with the Guard.

They pull up to a small beach near the edge of town, not far from The Grey Gull. There’s already a handful of spectators hovering just outside of the cordon, toying with wanting to know what is going on and how they’re going to pretend it is normal, and Dr. Lucassi is kneeling over a body. He looks up as they approach but doesn’t bother to rise, continuing his initial examination of the victim.

She’s young, maybe early twenties, and dressed for a night out which clearly didn’t end as planned. She is lying stretched out on the beach where she fell forward, head turned to the side, one hand clawed into the sand as if she’d been trying to gain some kind of purchase on it. Across her face was a livid brand which took Audrey a moment to realise was in the shape of a hand print – any doubt that this was about the Troubles was immediately erased. 

“Is it the bolt-gun killer?” Nathan asks.

Lucassi clears his throat slightly. “No, no indication that her killer used a weapon,” he confirms. “Can’t determine cause of death just yet, but it’s likely to be related to whatever did this.” He indicates the livid mark across her face. “I will test for pathogens, of course.” He adds almost as an afterthought.

The contents of the girl’s purse are found not far from her body, and despite being dropped and scattered nothing appears to be missing. She still has her wallet and driver’s licence – her name is Marie Lange, aged 25 a resident of Maine, if not Haven. Her phone indicates three missed calls, two from the same number – family, friends, work...someone misses her.

With a soft sigh, Audrey stands and takes one last look at the scene to see if she’s missed anything. Surprisingly she has: barely noticeable, nearly completely concealed but tucked behind Marie’s strappy top is the edge of a mark of some sort. She crouches down to have a better look, gently sliding the fabric back with the tip of a pen and when she sees what it is she sits back with a soft sigh and closes her eyes for a second. 

“Of course,” she says quietly to herself. Then louder, “Nathan.”

Her partner is further up the beach, talking to people, gently trying to get those with a morbid interest to leave, and sort through those who might have information about Marie’s death. He turns at her call and comes over to see what she has found.

Stark against Marie’s pale skin is a tattoo. A maze with a person standing at each of the compass points: the mark that identifies the Guard. Unconsciously both of them glance at Nathan’s forearm, covered by his shirt sleeve, where his own tattoo is placed.

“This complicates things,” Nathan says unnecessarily.

-x-x-x-

“Officer Parker, is there any reason you can give for that poor girl’s death?”

Haven’s reporters number in exactly two, so Audrey turns around to deflect the questions of whichever Haven resident has decided to end their habitual silence on the subject of the Troubles. To her surprise she finds herself face to face with an unfamiliar man holding out a business card. 

“Logan Cale,” he says.

She accepts the card, but doesn’t immediately look down at it. He is tall, attractive, with glasses and a faintly smug look she recognises from every reporter she’s ever met at any crime scene – one that Vince and Dave have down to a pat. She doesn’t need to read his card to know what his profession is, it’s written all over him.

“Mr. Cale,” she says in greeting. “Detective Bowen mentioned you.” 

In fact, Tommy had managed a few dark suggestions about Cale’s lineage after the man had cornered him while dealing with a girl who turned inanimate objects into trees. Tommy already didn’t like dealing with the Troubled, and most residents had accepted his hasty explanation of ‘vandalism’ when three houses in the girl’s street were removed and replaced with pines. Cale had been dubious and pushed for further explanation, to which Tommy had not responded well.

“I’m sorry, at this time, we have no information to give out.” Which is true. Without knowing exactly what happened to Marie and whether or not it was her own Trouble or someone else’s that caused her death Audrey is reluctant to concoct a plausible story to explain it. Whatever she constructs could easily be contradicted when and if the next incident takes place – or by Nathan or the Teagues if they didn’t get their stories straight.

“No comment?” says Cale. “Another inexplicable death in Haven put down to an accident or freak weather pattern?”

“This is a third world country, Mr. Cale, inexplicable deaths happen all the time.” The last thing any of them need is someone from out of town stirring up problems, or digging into the Troubles.

“Not as often as in Haven – what is Haven PD covering up?”

Audrey draws in a deep breath to give a short reply – feeling a belated sense of camaraderie with Tommy – when Nathan appears at her elbow.

“Problem?” he partner asks.

“No,” says Audrey. “Mr. Cale had a few questions about our investigation and I told him I had no information to give out at this stage.” She turns back to the reporter. “Please excuse us.” She spins sharply and heads back to Nathan’s truck, not checking to see if he’s following.

“I am going to find out what’s going on,” Cale calls after them.

“Good.” Audrey mutters under her breath, sliding into the passenger seat and slamming the door. “Great. Just what we need.”

On the driver’s side, Nathan mirrors her movements. “Problem?” he asks again.

She watches Cale enter his own vehicle, taking note of The Gull’s newest bartender (Alan? Alex?) sitting on the passenger side, watching her and Nathan just as intently as she is them.

“Maybe,” she replies, and makes a note to investigate exactly who Logan Cale is and what he’s doing with one of Duke employees. 

-x-x-x-

Marie Lange’s family is understandably distraught to hear of her death, but less surprised than they should be when Audrey and Nathan come to tell them of it.

As it turns out Marie had been distant for the last few weeks, starting when she broke up with her girlfriend. She had started hanging around new people, who she was very secretive about, and spending less time with her family and being snappish when she did come to see them. She’d upgraded the security on her apartment and had not let anyone visit her there. It wasn’t drugs, when they’d confronted her about it she had promised, sworn, that she wasn’t taking drugs – she’d even laughed at them – and Marie was a terrible liar.

“Do you think this had anything to do with her girlfriend?” asks Audrey gently.

“Oh, no, Sandy’s such a lovely girl. A nurse at the hospital, she wouldn’t hurt a fly – let alone Marie,” says Mrs. Lange, Marie’s mother. “She was heartbroken when Marie ended it, she even came to see us to ask us to help convince Marie to take her back...”

“Was Marie Troubled?” Nathan asks.

“Do you have a pen, Chief?” asks Mr. Lange, seemingly out of nowhere.

Audrey passes hers over to Mr. Lange, who holds it between his thumb and forefinger for a second before passing it back. “Try and write with it,” he says.

She pulls out a pad of paper and scribbles on it, surprised to find it completely dry; she looks up at Mr. Lange in confusion.

“That’s it. Irritating but not something to kill for...I don’t understand why anyone would want to hurt Marie for that,” he says.

“What do you know about the Guard?” Audrey asks.

“The Guard? What’s that?” asks Mrs. Lange. “A gang? Is that what Marie was involved with?”

“No,” says Audrey. “Not at all.”

“Thank you for your help,” says Nathan and he leads Audrey out of the house. 

“You shouldn’t have mentioned the Guard,” he says as they climb down the stairs.

“Why not?” asks Audrey.

“You don’t know what they’ll do with that information.”

“And if they can help with our investigation into Marie’ s death?” she asks.

He doesn’t have an answer for her.


	3. Day 1: Logan

**Day 1: Logan**

Logan rubs his face, slightly embarrassed at his own unprofessionalism as he watches Officer Parker and Chief Wuornos leave the scene of Marie’s death. While irritating the local police force is not something that bugs him usually, and is still not at the top of his list of concerns, there is something about this town that just doesn’t add up.

Every bit of research he’s managed to pull about this town, every bit of digging he’s done suggests no real corruption. He’s interviewed locals – half of who sing the praises of Nathan Wuornos and Audrey Parker, and the other half who mutter ‘that kind of folk should be driven out of town’. No one is very clear on what kind of people they’re talking about – they’re just very clear that Wuornos is one of them.

“What was that about?” Alec asks. “Wasn’t it _you_ who told _me_ to stay out of trouble?”

“Alec...”

“No, I mean it. In Seattle you could be big bad ass cyber journalist without too many people noticing you were a little odd. But here if you start acting weird, people will notice.”

“There’s something big, though, can’t you feel it? Just beneath the surface? And it all seems to be centred around the police force.”

“Could be just the serial killer they’ve got,” Alec suggests, tone clipped. He’s not looking at Logan, instead staring out the passenger window.

“Maybe,” Logan admits. “But maybe it’s the breeding cult?”

“And what if it is? What if you’re stirring up trouble? They know who we are, Logan. What happens when they come calling?”

“They don’t know where we are.”

“Yet. But if you keep sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong...”

The rest of the car ride home is silent.

-x-x-x-

Logan is aware of the owners of the _Haven Herald_ of course, but he hasn’t had much need to seek them out before now. The paper mostly seems to present a charmingly edited version of whatever is happening in the town – something that the locals soak up like water as they look away from the strange deaths and houses being replaced by trees. Whatever it is that’s keeping the police silent has also muffled the _Herald_. Free press is just as much an illusion in Haven as it is in the rest of the country.

“Well, lookee here Vince, Haven’s new journalist’s come knocking at last!” said the smaller of the two men as Logan enters the _Herald_ ’s premises. He stops swinging on his chair as the larger of the two turns around from whatever he’s been fishing for in a side cabinet. “What can we do for you Mr. Cale?”

For a moment, Logan is fooled by the way they beam at him in confusion, as if they can’t quite figure out why he’s turned up in their office. But then he recalls the carefully edited fictions printed in the paper, so neatly done that there’s nothing out of place. A little too neat perhaps, but not apparent until you put it all together and the picture becomes realistic.

He folds his arms across his chest, shifts his weight so his feet are a little further apart. “I want to know exactly what is going on in this town,” he says. Given the cheerful way they dance around the truth in their articles, he suspects if he’s going to get anything at all from them it will be only through direct questioning.

“Whatever do you mean?” Vince’s smile suggests a hint of senility.

“There’s a lot of strange things happening in this town that the police and this paper seem intent on covering up. I want to know why.”

“You’re from Seattle, aren’t you?” the smaller one – Dave, Logan thinks – asks.

He really shouldn’t be surprised that they’ve done their research on him, but as small as Haven is, it’s not that small and they can’t keep track of every person who arrives in town. Now he worries what else they might have on him, on Alec, what they might have managed to find out.

“Yes. But I don’t see what that has to do with anything.” He rocks back on his heels and drops his hands to check his phone is in easy reach.

“Big city with all those check points and sector police – not to mention the high crime rate. It’s easy to see why somewhere like Haven might be a little disconcerting,” says Vince.

“It’s a big change to make,” agrees Dave. “What made you choose Haven, Mr. Cale?”

Logan blinks. When did it all become about him? “My partner and I needed to get away.” He says evenly, trying not to give away what exactly they were getting away from.

“Of course!” says Vince. “All those transgenics that escaped. That would make life very stressful.”

“They weren’t the problem.” Logan’s tone is sharper than he’d like, but he’s not about to let slide the fact that the entire country believes transgenics to be monsters when they really aren’t.

“You know,” says Dave, leaning forward. “I bet our readers’d be real interested in an insider’s point of view if you’re willing to give an interview.”

Logan is hardly interested in spilling his story (or Alec’s, or Max’s, or any of his transgenic friends’) to some small town rag, even for the positive exposure, but that isn’t what catches his attention. “What do you think I know?”

“You are from Seattle,” Vince points out. “You had front row seats. All we have out here is second hand news filtered through the official media – and you know how _accurate_ that is.”

Logan does. He is after all known as a cyber-terrorist in some circles because of his desire to tell the truth and not what authorities deem to be the truth.

“Terrible business,” says Dave. “We remember news was actually news and not fiction, don’t we Vince?”

“That’s right, we do.”

“It’s funny you should say that,” Logan uses their comments to pick his own thread, “because your paper seems to tell some interesting stories.”

“I don’t think I like what you’re implying,” Dave says now. “We tell the stories as we see them.”

“And you’re not writing what the cops tell you to write?”

“Absolutely not!” Vince’s indignant tone does not appear to be faked in anyway. “As if Nathan Wuornos could dictate to us!”

“As if Nathan would! Just like his father that one,” says Dave a little fondly. “Garland was a good man.”

“The _Haven Herald_ maintains its journalistic integrity at all times,” affirms Vince. “You’ll have to excuse us Mr. Cale. We’ve enjoyed meeting you very much, but we do have work to do. Evening edition won’t publish itself.”

“Make sure you come back for that interview,” calls Dave as Logan finds himself walking out the door and into the street.

He blinks in the bright morning sun, not entirely sure what happened or how two apparently bumbling old men managed to deflect him quite so easily. What he is sure of however, is that there is a lot more going on in Haven that meets the eye.


	4. Day 1: Duke

**Day 1: Duke**

Duke is at The Gull tidying up some accounting when he hears a car pull up and moments later a door slam. He isn’t really paying attention as it is nearly time for his evening staff to begin trickling in for their shifts.

“Hey Duke.”

He glances up to see his favourite member of law enforcement entering. “Officer Parker!” he says cheerfully, glad to see her. Life has been unkind to them recently and she doesn’t have much time left – he’s going to take whatever time he has with her. But her expression which has become characteristically grim recently is even more so now. “Whatever it is, I didn’t do it.” He places a hand on his heart. “Honest, law abiding citizen that I am.”

He almost thinks he sees a smile grace her features, but the lightness is gone almost as quickly as it appears. “Can I ask you a few questions?” She slides into a bar stool across from him and he automatically pours her a diet coke which she accepts gratefully – some routines are natural to them by now.

“Go ahead.”

“A woman was found murdered not far from here this morning. We think she died late last night,” Audrey says bluntly, eyes fixed on him.

Duke fights back the urge to deny it hotly, to point out he has enough blood on his hands and if Haven PD is going to use him as an assassin they don’t get to run around throwing unfounded accusations at him when convenient. He takes a deep breath, and tries to let it go: if he were truly a suspect, Nathan would be here with Audrey and he’d be the one throwing around accusations. 

Something must catch Audrey attention, or maybe it’s her guilty conscience, because she reaches out and touches his hand. “No one thinks you killed her Duke, but the victim might have been here last night and we want to know if you remember anything.”

“Nothing out of the usual,” he says, meaning it. The most interesting thing that had happened the night before was Nathan and Audrey with a brief update on the bolt-gun killer – signifying that Duke was back in the loop with Haven’s weirdness, whether he wanted to be or not.

She pulls out a photo and hands it to him. A woman stares back at him, light hair and eyes, vaguely familiar, but he doesn’t recognise her – she could have been here last night, but he could have seen three days ago while grocery shopping or anywhere really – and he tells Audrey as much.

Watching him carefully, she takes out a second photo and hands it to him. “She had the tattoo on her back.”

Duke can’t quite stop the flash of fear and disgust when he sees the mark staring back him, an omen of death that will presumably be the last thing he sees. He swallows compulsively and shakes his head, refusing to take the picture.

“I’m not big on letting the Guard in here,” he points out. “And I think most of them stay away from me on principle.”

Audrey accepts this easily. “Can I have a list of your staff who were working last night?”

“You may as well wait – most of them will be in soon,” he tell her. 

She nods and sits back, taking a sip of her drink, closing her eyes for a second. The lines under eyes are a little darker today and he thinks she might be losing weight – he hasn’t seen her in The Gull for a meal recently, just drinks, and while he knows she’s an able cook that doesn’t actually means she’s actually feeding herself. He has a sudden urge to offer to fix her something.

“Hey Audrey...” he begins.

“Hmm,” she says, tilting her head back to him and fixing him with look that’s becoming common these days – weary and unhappy.

But before he can suggest anything the door opens as the first of his staff walks in – his new bartender, Alec.

“Hey, Boss. Officer,” he greets. 

“Alec – you’ve met Officer Parker, right?” Duke asks. He’s almost certainly served her drinks at some point.

“Sure,” says Alec easily, but he doesn’t come over the bar the where Duke and Audrey are, instead hovering between them and the door. 

“She’s going to be asking everyone a few questions – a woman who was murdered may have been here last night.”

“The girl they found on the beach this morning?” Alec asks, surprising Duke, but not Audrey who nods.

“You were there, this morning, weren’t you?” she asks.

Alec’s eyes flicker to the door and sweep the room. “My partner’s a reporter,” he agrees. “I came along for the ride.”

Audrey slides off her bar stool and moves closer to Alec who doesn’t seem inclined to join them at all. “Do you know her?” she passes him the picture. “Marie Lange.”

“I think she’s been in a few times for dinner,” he says frowning at the picture. “But I never spoke to her.”

“She never ordered any drinks?”

Alec shakes his head. “Boyfriend did all the ordering.”

“Boyfriend?” Audrey asks.

“Yeah. Tall guy, blond, heavy set, older. Didn’t act like her dad.” He shrugs, visibly relaxing a little. 

“Would you be able to describe him to a sketch artist?” Audrey asked.

“Sure,” Alec agrees. “Is that all?”

“Just a couple more questions.” She offers him the picture of Marie’s tattoo. “Do you recognise this?” she asks. Duke watches him carefully, looking for any sign of recognition, resisting the urge to look down at Alec’s forearm – the guy is wearing short sleeves and there’s no trace of anything there. 

Alec’s confusion seems genuine as he denies knowing anything about it. “Sorry, no.”

“How about the Guard?” Audrey is studying Alec just as carefully as Duke.

“No...” says Alec. “Is this some kind of gang killing or something?”

“We don’t know who or what killed her,” says Audrey. “Just trying to find that out.”

“Right. I’m sorry I can’t help you. I need to get ready for my shift.” He edges away from her and heads for the back room.

Audrey turns and looks at Duke, who shrugs at her, but before either of them can comment the three servers walk in and Audrey is engaged in questioning them and then the rest of Duke’s staff as they trickle in for the evening. Duke doesn’t interrupt, but he does stay in earshot. The testimonies generally confirm what Alec has told Audrey about Marie Lange’s companion, though none of the others feel confident enough to sit for a sketch artist.

Once she’s done, Duke walks Audrey to her car. “Thanks Duke,” she says and unlocks the door, opening it before pausing. “Are any of them Troubled?” she asks.

Duke frowns and turns away from her to look at The Gull for a second before facing her again. The question irritates him, but that’s not her fault. “People aren’t exactly lining up to tell me their Troubles, Audrey. But, no, far as I know, not.”

She nods. “Thanks,” she says again. She gets into the car and shits her door, but before she can drive off, Duke remembers something.

She rolls the window down and looks at him inquiringly. “Yeah?”

“Come by later and I’ll make sure you get a decent dinner.”

“Why?”

“You’re looking scrawny.” Her eyes narrow. “Not that you don’t look good,” he corrects. “I just thought...you’ve got a lot on your mind...I thought you’d appreciate someone else taking care of the cooking.”

“I’m fine, Duke,” she says using a tone that could crack hardened criminals at twenty paces.

He winces. “Didn’t say that you weren’t. Just think about it, okay.”

After a moment, she nods. “Okay.” She puts the car in reverse, leaving him standing alone.

“Does that mean ‘okay, you want dinner’ or ‘okay you’ll think about it’?” he calls after her, before she’s got too far away to hear him.

Audrey just sticks a hand out her window and waves.


	5. Day 2: Nathan

**Day 2: Nathan**

Nathan had planned on stopping by the _Haven Herald_ first thing in the morning to see if Vince and Dave have any information on the Trouble that killed Marie Lange – and to see if he could worm it out of them. However, after a night where he got little sleep he decides that the Teagues can wait until he’s had some coffee and talked to Audrey (he’s still allowed to talk to her, she’s still his partner and he’ll cling to that if that’s all he has).

When he reaches the station, it turns out that he made the right choice – even if it means facing the brothers before he’s had a coffee- and Audrey-fix. Vince is there drawing a sketch for a witness that Audrey’s pulled in, with Dave hovering nearby as the two trade insults with each other. He makes himself a cup of coffee in the station’s kitchenette and one for Audrey as well as if she’s come in a little early she’s going to want some extra caffeine to get through the morning. Plus it’s one of the few non-work, non-Trouble part of their friendship left.

She mouths ‘thank you’ at him as he sets the cup down in front of her and almost smiles before gently redirecting Vince’s attention away from shooting down Dave’s suggestions and back to the witness – the new bartender from The Gull – and his description of the man with Marie the night she died. She grimaces slightly as she sips the coffee and catches his eye mouthing ‘hot’ at him. He nods gratefully and resolves to give it a few minutes before drinking his own; he might not be able to feel it, but burns to the lips or mouth did actually make eating inconvenient.

He’s almost at his door when his name is called. “Chief Wuornos, a moment of your time.”

He turns to find himself face to face with the same reporter that both Audrey and Tommy have come up against recently. The one who had been at the murder scene the previous day with the bartender who was currently working with Audrey and Vince. Cale, his name was.

“Mr. Cale. I’m not currently discussing the case with the press,” he says firmly and turns back in to catch up on some of the ever present paper work that had a tendency to pile up on his desk when dealing with the Troubles.

“I just thought you’d like to know about four people – including one child – in Chicago last month whose manner of death match that of Marie Lange. Right down to one of the victims having the same tattoo.” Cale’s tone is matter of fact, if a little smug, which Nathan privately admits he has a right to be – Haven PD has not managed to pick up on that piece of information.

He regards the other man for a moment, glances over to where his partner is still wrangling her witness and Vince and Dave before stepping into his office and holding his door open. “Come in.” 

“Thank you.”

Nathan shuts the door behind them both and takes a seat behind his desk, setting his coffee cup to one side with only a brief sense of regret that he can’t throw it back now. He indicates that Cale should take the seat opposite and waits until the reporter is settled before making a start.

“What do you know?”

“I want an exclusive when you catch the killer.”

“No.” If Nathan isn’t giving information to Vince and Dave who won’t print anything about the Troubles, he certainly isn’t giving any to an out of town reporter who won’t have the same scruples. “And if you withhold anything relevant to this case, rest assured Haven PD will press charges.”

To his surprise Cale nods and sits back, relaxing minutely. He pulls a folder out of the case he’s brought with him. “Normally, I wouldn’t bother approaching the police, but I’ve been told that there’s no corruption in this town.”

“There had better not be,” Nathan growls. A couple of months prior to Audrey coming to town, Nathan’s father had found several of his officers taking bribes. The former Chief had been ruthless in rooting out those who’d taken part and making sure they received the longest possible sentence for their crimes. When he’d taken the job after his father’s death, Nathan had been sure to make it clear he would do the same if he found it happening on his watch.

Now, he flips open the folder to find details that Cale should not have access to, but could have taken him weeks to locate, thanks to the breakdown in communication caused by the Pulse. Two men, a woman and a five year old girl were all found dead in a suburban home, all having suffered the same type of brain aneurism that Marie had, all had the same brand across the face. One of the men – the only unidentified victim – did indeed have the tattoo that in Haven would have identified him as being a member of the Guard.

“Where did you find this?” he asks.

“I have sources that the police have no access to – sources that will dry up if they think the police are involved.” 

It reminds Nathan of the kind of thing that Duke might say about some of his ‘imports’ and it’s enough that Nathan kind of wants to slap some cuffs on Cale and throw him in jail. However, Cale didn’t have to share the information he found, admitted in fact that he normally wouldn’t, and Haven’s climate of secrets and the country’s level of corruption this is valuable. Not to mention that if Cale is smart enough to find this information, he’s smart enough to make sure there’s no evidence to convict him. Just like Duke.

“Thank you,” is all he says instead.

Cale accepts this with a nod and watches Nathan just long enough that he think he’s going to have suggest that he has work to do and that the journalist should go about his day when the man speaks up. 

“What’s the Guard?” he says. Nathan would be impressed at Cale’s research skills but is too busy being surprised. “And what connection do they have to that tattoo?”

“Every town has its own urban legends,” he says flatly.

“Urban legends that have tattoos?”

Nathan’s glad his own is covered by his shirt sleeve. If Cale can pick up on details like this so quickly then the last thing any of them need is Logan adding fuel to the fire by having him see the tattoo on the Chief of Police.

“It is a design popular with tattoo artists in town.” Nathan stands up. “Mr. Cale, thank you for your help, but I do have a murder investigation to run. If you would excuse me. I can’t discuss this case further without jeopardising it.”

“If this town is so free of corruption, why are there so many secrets?” Cale stands, posture tense, eyes flashing, fingers flexing. The question however, seems rhetorical as he turns and stride out with long, jerking steps.

Nathan can understand his frustration, but really it is better for everyone if Logan Cale doesn’t get himself involved with Haven’s mysteries and Troubles.

At his door his next headache is waiting – Vince and Dave – and on days like this he’s almost sure that he can feel the throbbing. The two scurry in, looking pleased with themselves and sit down across the desk from him, mercifully holding back their questions long enough for him to get his own asked.

“What do you know about those two...Cale and...uh...” Audrey had told him the name of the bartender... “Alec McDowell.”

“Odd couple,” says Dave. “Moved here from Seattle.”

Nathan folds his hands in front of him and leans forward, he’s used the Teagues careful brief answers and he knows he won’t get everything he wants, but with any luck he can push for more than they’re willing to give. “Odd how?”

“Well, that’s where the transgenics ended up, didn’t they?” says Vince.

Nathan’s seen the news and it almost made him grateful for the Troubles. Superhuman, super soldiers...super Troubled, more like. He’s neck deep in Troubles and Haven intrigue as it is, the last thing he needs is for something like that to turn up in town.

“Do you think either of them are transgenic?” he asks.

“Cale, isn’t,” says Dave. “Old money – or was. Family lost everything in that scandal with the killer hoverdrones. A lot of his relatives landed in jail over that. He’s clean, though. Squeaky almost.”

“The boy on the other hand, Alec,” says Vince as he leans forward, lowering his voice a touch. “There’s no record on where he came from.”

“Place like Seattle would attract a lot of drifters, homeless,” Dave reminds his brother.

“True,” says Vince. “So does Haven.” They chuckle a little to themselves.

Nathan doesn’t bother asking what fallen old money is doing with a drifter a decade his junior; from his brief exposure to both of them he hasn’t noticed anything untoward. He will check in with Audrey to see if she’s picked up on anything, and maybe get her to ask Claire to discretely see if she can get a read on them.

“Are they Troubled?” is what he does ask.

“No idea,” says Dave with a slight shrug.

There’s a slight pause as the brothers exchange a glance and Nathan knows what is coming next.

“Quid pro quo, Nathan – those were _your_ terms,” Vince reminds him.

Audrey is going to kill him for what he’s about to reveal, but he’s willing to take his chances because if he gambles this he might just pull up something concrete. “The Colorado Kid is James Cogan.”

Both Dave and Vince are too good to show anyone a reaction they don’t want them to see – their every move is calculated. But this time it’s their complete and utter lack of reaction that tells Nathan what he wants to know. “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”

“So Audrey remembered something,” says Dave his tone mild, but he isn’t asking a question. “Lucy never talked about him, never said how she knew him – never told us his name.”

“And yet somehow you knew he was from Colorado?”

“Don’t quite recall how we came by that piece of information,” says Vince. “Dave?”

“No idea,” says Dave brightly. “If that’s all?”

Nathan swipes his hand across his eyes and doesn’t groan out loud – though it’s a close thing. “Just go.” Nor does he add ‘before I shoot you both’.

They both hurry out of his office and he watches them go before calling out for his partner. On his desk sits his coffee and he’s grateful that he can’t tell if it’s too cold drink.


	6. Day 2: Alec

**Day 2: Alec**

Alec follows a clearly irritated Logan out of Haven police station to the car. Clearly the Chief of Police has been as forthcoming with information as the rest of his officers and Logan hasn’t managed to unearth any of Haven’s secrets. To give the town their credit, they are really good at hiding things to the point where it is plainly obvious that they are hiding something, but no one seems to have even the slightest idea what. 

Take that tattoo for instance. When he’d asked around at The Gull the night before what it was and who the ‘Guard’ were, most of the serving and kitchen staff had looked at him blankly and told him they had no idea. A couple had thrown slight nervous glances in their boss’ direction, but had seemed genuine in their ignorance. When Alec had questioned Duke, the other man had clapped him on the shoulder, told him that he was better off ‘staying out of Haven conspiracies’ and poured himself a large drink.

He comes out of his musings to realise that Logan is three strides ahead of him and covering ground fast. “Hey,” he calls. “Slow down, will ya?”

Alec could easily catch Logan if he chose, but he doesn’t see why he should strain himself, so he’s gratified to see his partner slow down and pause. Logan doesn’t turn around but he does wait until Alec comes up beside him and modifies his pace to match. But that doesn’t stop him from clenching his teeth or flexing his fingers and it takes him two attempts to free his keys from his pocket.

Alec waits until they are both seated in the car before he speaks. “Didn’t tell you anything, huh?”

“I gave him that file on the murders in Chicago, but he didn’t even bat an eyelid. Thanked me for my help and refused to answer any of my questions.” He starts the car and pulls them out in the main road, making Alec glad they now live in a quiet town without much traffic. Maybe he should offer to drive?

“You didn’t get anything, then?” he asks. Transgenics, X5s in particular, are built to be as close to indestructible as possible, so he’ll probably survive a head on collision.

Logan breaks sharply for a red light. “Not quite. When I asked about the Guard and the tattoo he threw up all sorts of road blocks. There’s definitely something there. Whatever is going on in this town is definitely centred around whatever they are.”

“Do you think there’s been a cover up by the police?” The puzzle and conspiracies seem to have calmed Logan down a little and Alec no longer fears for his life.

“I don’t think Chief Wuornos knows how to break the law,” snorts Logan. “If he’s covering something up, it’s because he’s trying to protect someone or something in this town. Lawfully.”

“Like witness protection or something more sinister?”

“I don’t know.”

“You know you’re not making a lot of sense, right?”

“This town doesn’t make a lot of sense. Why would an honest cop and two journalists who get all flustered about ‘journalistic integrity’ be hiding some big dark secret?”

“You got me.” Alec is designed to be a genius, but sometimes he struggles to follow the twists that Logan’s mind takes.

“I need to find out what Nathan Wuornos is hiding.” And then sometimes it’s all too clear to Alec exactly what his partner is thinking.

“I’m not going to break into the police station for you,” Alec says as they pull into their driveway.

“I didn’t—”

“I know how your brain works, Logan. And don’t get me wrong, it’s brilliant and I love it, but I’m not going to break into the police station. Because they will catch me. This isn’t Seattle – bribes and jail breaks won’t work here. And even if they do, we will have to leave. I don’t want to find somewhere else to live. I like it here. I like my job. I like the people. I want to stay.”

He turns back to Logan who is watching him with a slight frown. “Understood.” Long fingers reach out and tilt Alec’s face in Logan’s direction as the other man leans in for a kiss, it’s brief but warm and pleasant. Alec lets his eyes drop closed for a second to enjoy the moment.

Logan steps back, but takes Alec’s hand in his own. “I’m glad you’re happy here,” he says. “I’m just...”

“Having trouble letting secrets rest?” Alec suggests allowing himself a touch of amusement at Logan’s frustration at the puzzle he can’t quite figure out.

“Something like that,” Logan mutters.

“Logan Cale crusader of truth and justice,” Alec muses and recognises it as something he’s probably picked up from Max at some point – a fact highlighted by Logan’s grimace but the thought does lighten the journalist’s mood to a certain degree. “I do want to help – I just don’t want to get arrested.”

“Backing down from a challenge?” Logan teases. “Who are you and what have you done with Alec?”

“Must be getting wise in my old age.”

“That’ll be the day.”

“Yeah,” agrees Alec as he follows Logan up the steps into the house. “But I’m still hanging out with you, though, aren’t I?”


	7. Day 2: Audrey

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay people!

**Day 2: Audrey**

Sandy Castellano lives in a pleasant two storey house on a street near the edge of town and heading up into the hills. It’s an upmarket neighbourhood, home to some of Haven’s wealthier residents – well outside of a nurse’s salary. So it’s not a surprise when the door is opened by Sandy’s father.

Mr. Castellano looks at them dourly when they introduce themselves but show Nathan and Audrey into the living room, where a young woman – presumably Sandy – is being comforted by woman close enough in age and appearance to be her sister. Her eyes are bloodshot and puffy, but she doesn’t appear to be crying currently.

“Cops want to talk to you about Marie,” he tells Sandy sharply.

Sandy takes one look at Audrey and Nathan standing behind her father and nods and sits up a little but doesn’t let go of her sister’s hand. “Okay,” she says. “Please come in and sit down. Dad, will you fix us some tea?”

The man in question agrees as Audrey and Nathan settle themselves down across from Sandy and her sister. Covering the surface of the coffee table are dozens and dozens of pictures of Marie – many with Sandy in them.

At the kitchen door Mr. Castellano turns back. “My Sandy’s been through enough, don’t go making things worse for her, now.”

“We just want to ask her a few questions,” Audrey says soothingly. 

“They just want to help Dad, it’s fine,” says Sandy, wiping a hand across her cheek. Her sister hands her a tissue which she accepts to wipe her eyes. She looks up at Audrey and Nathan and even through a fresh wave of tears her voice is firm. “I want to help find whoever hurt Marie.”

“Do you know if she had any enemies?” Nathan asks gently.

“She didn’t use to have any before she started hanging around with those people.” Sandy draws in a deep shuddering breath and her sister frowns.

“What people?” asks Audrey. “The Guard?” Nathan shifts slightly, but he’s too much a professional to show his annoyance with Audrey’s line of questioning.

Surprisingly enough, though, Sandy is nodding. “Yeah them and their stupid tattoos. I told her that picking sides would just get her hurt. I didn’t think...” she hiccups and accepts some fresh tissues.

“Is that what you fought about?” asks Nathan.

“Yeah. She told me I’d already picked a side, and that she was only doing this out of self-preservation.”

“What did she mean by that?” asks Audrey.

“We’re members of Good Shepherd Church,” says the sister, speaking up for the first time.

“I can see from your faces what you think,” says Sandy sitting up and squaring her shoulders. “But it’s not like that. I know what Reverend Driscoll used to say about...people like Marie, but not everyone agreed with him.”

“Some of us are even glad he’s gone,” says the sister.

“Rosa,” growls Sandy. “But she’s right. Reverend Alfero is a much more reasonable man. And I tried to explain that to Marie, but she wouldn’t listen. She said I had to choose religion or her and when I said it didn’t have to be that way, she said I’d made my choice and that she didn’t want to see me anymore.”

“And that was it?” asks Audrey.

Sandy shakes her head. “I tried calling her a bunch of times, even tried to catch her at work a couple of times, but she wouldn’t talk to me. Said it was over. Oh, God, I never got to tell her how much I loved her.” She wraps her free arm around her stomach and rocks back and forward a couple of times.

“Sandy, I know this is difficult, but we just have a few more questions,” Nathan says gently.

Mr. Castellano returns to the room, carrying a delicate tray and china set that look incongruous in his large hands, but he carefully passes everyone a cup and saucer of tea. Audrey and Nathan’s come with a hard look, when he sees how distressed his daughter has become.

“Are you or anyone in your family Troubled?” If they attended Good Shepherd Church then probably not, but it always paid to be sure.

“No,” grumbles Mr. Castellano. “Not this family. We’re not freaks.”

“Dad!” snaps Rosa. “Marie wasn’t a freak – she loved Sandy.” Mr. Castellano subsides under the force of the glares both his daughters give him, sipping his tea in silence.

“Do any of you recognise this man?” Audrey asks, passing them a copy of the sketch that Vince drew under Alec’s direction earlier.

“It kinda looks like Steven Jonkers – from church,” says Sandy, voice shaky but under control. “He was a friend of Reverend Driscoll’s, but not one of the ones ranting about ‘cleansing’ Haven. Why? Do you think he’s the one who hurt Marie?” there’s an edge to her tone in her last sentence.

“We’re just following a lead,” Nathan says mildly. “Do you know why Marie might have been having dinner with him the night before he died?”

“Marie?” says Sandy. “No? Why would...? I don’t know. I’m sorry, I don’t know.” She dissolves into tears again.

“I think that’s enough,” says Mr. Castellano. “If that’s all, Chief?”

Nathan nods and stands up, Audrey follows suit, but turns to Sandy. “Thank you for your help.”

They’re almost at the door when Sandy calls out to them. “Chief Wuornos? Officer Parker? When you catch him, make him pay for he did to Marie? I want him to suffer.”

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

In Nathan’s truck, Audrey sighs. “It’s like some sort of modern day Romeo and Juliet, but with murder, not suicide.”

Nathan huffs a little at her statement and for a moment it feels like old times when they were just partners battling the Troubles without the Guard and the Hunter stretching a void between them.

“Do you think Sandy Castellano had anything to do with Marie’s death?” Nathan asks her.

Audrey thinks back to the distraught young woman being fussed over by her worried father and sister. She is so clearly heartbroken that Audrey can’t picture her hurting her ex-girlfriend. “No,” she says. “You?”

“No,” agrees Nathan. “Might be an idea to ask Claire to look in on her, though.”

Humming in agreement, Audrey asks her partner. “Should we go and check out Steven Jonkers?” she asks.

“I’m meeting Jordan in 20 minutes,” Nathan says.

“Oh, okay.” Audrey can’t quite suppress the way her stomach twists at the mention of the woman he’s seeing. She turns and focuses out the window and attempts not to come off as resentful – he’s allowed to see other women, especially women who will be around long after Audrey’s gone.

“I have some questions for her about Marie’s involvement in the Guard,” Nathan says and because she can’t see his face she can’t tell what he’s thinking.

“Of course,” says Audrey feeling a mixture of jealousy and foolishness.

They ride back to the station in silence.

-x-x-x-x-x-x-

Steven Jonkers doesn’t answer his phone, he hasn’t been in to work for three days and when Audrey heads around to his house, it’s all shut up and no one answers the door. The picture this suggests is that Jonkers did kill Marie – or was involved in some way – and has run off to avoid being caught. But there is no proof, and despite all evidence to the contrary, belonging to Good Shepherd Church does not count as probable cause.

On a whim she decides to stop by the church and see if the new Reverend can provide her with any information. She hasn’t been there since before the Rev’s death and she isn’t quite prepared for the spike of anxiety she feels as she pulls up in her car and crosses the lawn to the church door. The Rev was a terrible person and she doesn’t regret killing him to save Amelia Benton, doesn’t even regret that it meant very obviously choosing a side in Haven’s battle (but then her side was chosen a long time ago, by Lucy, by Sarah, by someone she hasn’t heard of yet). But that doesn’t change the fact that a good number of the Rev’s followers would have liked to see her punished for what she did.

The church is unlocked and she pushes the door open easily and steps inside. She is not struck down by a bolt of lightning, so she takes that as a positive start. A man she recognises as Reverend Alfero is at the altar replacing candles, he turns as she shuts the door and smiles at her.

“Officer Parker, it’s good to see you,” he says warmly, and it’s about as far from the reaction she expected that she stops in surprise.

“Is it?” she says.

“I know you’ve had differences with members of the congregation before, but that doesn’t mean you’re not welcome in God’s house.” Finished with the candles he steps towards her, the warm smile never leaving his face.

Oddly disturbed Audrey has to prevent herself from fleeing the church and not coming back without Nathan to back her up. ‘Differences’ isn’t what she’d call the deaths of the Rev, Evi or Kyle Hopkins, or what she’d call the war being waged by the Troubled, the Guard and this church. But she reaches behind her and brushes her fingers against the wood of the door and takes a deep breath.

“I have a few questions about the death of Marie Lange, if you don’t mind?” she asks.

“Of course, such a terrible tragedy, a young girl like that. Whatever I can do to help. Though I’m not sure how, I didn’t know her at all. She was, I believe, in a relationship with one of my parishioners, Sandy Castellano?”

Her heartbeat slows as Audrey recognises that he’s genuine in his desire to help. “We’ve spoken to Sandy and she was able to identify someone from your congregation who was with Marie just hours before she died.”

She takes out a DMV picture of Steven Jonkers. “Do you recognise this man?”

“Oh, yes. Uh...Jonkers, I believe his name is...Oh, Steve? Steven? You’ll have to forgive me, I’ve only spoken to him a couple of times. I’m still learning the names of my congregation. My understanding is that he may have been a friend of Reverend Driscoll’s? He doesn’t come to church regularly anymore.” His forehead pulls down a little as he contemplates the picture.

“Could you tell me anything about family or friends anyone he might go to if he were in trouble?” she asks.

“No, sorry, I really didn’t know him well.”

“Thank you for your help,” says Audrey. Despite the fact that Reverend Alfero seems like an ordinary, kindly man of God she’s still not comfortable in this building and she glad to be leaving.

“Of course, Officer Parker. Please remember that you’re always welcome in these walls. Both God and myself would be glad to see you here – and it doesn’t really matter what anyone else thinks, does it?”

“I suppose not,” Audrey mumbles, and closes the door behind her taking in a deep breath of fresh air before heading back to her car and back to the station.


	8. Day 2: Jordan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I briefly posted chapter ten, instead of eight. I apologise to anyone who got confused.

**Day 2: Jordan**

Jordan approaches the seat that is her habitual meeting place with Nathan – he’s already there waiting for her and he turns to look over his shoulder picking up on her near silent footsteps. The loss of one sense heightens the others he’d explained when she’d questioned it. Jordan wouldn’t know, she is still in possession of all her senses, whether she’s able to use them or not.

“Hey,” she says. She leans forward and kisses him lightly, because she can, because she can’t hurt him and he won’t hurt her. “So I take it this is business, not pleasure? Marie Lange?” A member of the Guard dies and he calls and asks to meet her in her lunch break? 

“Sorry,” he says. “Did you know her?”

“No.” She didn’t, but she’s been told she can tell Nathan anything he wants to know about Marie. The Guard still doesn’t trust him, but Marie wasn’t a vital member, they figure they can let the police find out what happened to her and deal with her killer. “But I knew of her. She helped kids at Haven Elementary who were Troubled or had Troubled family members, by all accounts she was a lovely person.”

“The Guard have any idea who might have killed her?”

“No, but they’re willing to work with you to find out who did.”

Nathan accepts this with a nod and passes her a photo. “Do you recognise this man?” 

“No.” Jordan could find nothing remotely familiar in his face. “Who is he?”

“Marie’s girlfriend identified him as possibly being Steven Jonkers from Good Shepherd Church.”

Well, that explained why he was unfamiliar to Jordan. “I don’t exactly hang around with the parishioners of Good Shepherd,” she points out. She had the poor luck to cross paths with the Rev once and as a result she’d been one of the ones toasting his death. To many, Audrey Parker’s greatest feat was putting a bullet in that monster before he could spread anymore of his poison.

“We also have information that suggests that a member of the Guard – or a man with the same tattoo was found dead, killed in the same manner – along with a young family in Chicago last month. We have no name for him, though the family have been identified as being from Chicago, not Haven.”

“Did you know him – or of him?” Nathan asks.

“No. I have no idea who he is,” she says honestly. She knows of no operation or retrieval in Chicago, but then it wouldn’t necessarily have been any of her business unless they needed her particular Trouble to get the family back into Haven.

Transporting people into Haven is a dangerous job, because while Haven is free of things such as sector police and guarded town lines, many places aren’t granted the same freedom. People do sometimes go out and not come back – or take longer to return than expected – due to issues with corrupt police, fake sector or travel passes and gang activity. Sometimes such trips are kept relatively secret so that no one can be bribed or informed on while smuggling someone to town.

“I’ll ask, and if he has any family we’ll inform them,” she assures Nathan.

“It would help if we could speak to anyone who knew him – see if we can establish a pattern between his death and Marie’s.”

Jordan nods in agreement, but there’s no guarantee that she’ll be able to do that. Marie Lange is one thing, but someone who was out transporting the Troubled to Haven? 

“So someone – with a Trouble – is targeting members of the Guard?” she asks.

“Looks like.”

She sucks in a breath and releases it. “Thank you for letting us know,” she says.

“I am looking for an exchange of knowledge,” he points out.

“I know. Still, it is appreciated.” The Guard has operated outside of Haven PD for so long, sometimes with their knowledge sometimes without. Jordan is well aware this is not the first time they’ve tried to get someone inside the police, but the Chief of Police was quite an achievement. There were some among the Guard who openly thought they were better off staying well away from Nathan, especially given his connection to Audrey Parker and Duke Crocker, but after this no one could deny that he didn’t have his uses.

“I have to get back,” he says.

“Will you come by the diner later?” she asks.

His eyes crinkle and the lines around his mouth soften – a smile in the world of Nathan Wuornos. “Sure,” he says and then heads off.

Jordan stays where she is for a while, enjoying the sunshine and thinking about the evening to come and she allows herself to feel normal for a little while – uncursed. She likes Nathan, really likes him, he’s good company despite his taciturn nature and he makes her feel safe. Of course, being able to touch him does factor into what she feels for him – she’s been cut off for so long unable to touch anyone, _unable to be touched_ – that it’s a little intoxicating. 

She’s using him.

Oh, she’d still be with him, if he wasn’t any use to the Guard – but they need someone close to Audrey Parker, and no one is closer than Nathan. She’s not entirely sure how they plan to use him to get Audrey to do what they want, but she’s sure they have an idea.

He’s using her.

At least for chasing that serial killer, and now this one, but maybe for something else too. Something to do with Audrey, maybe. Jordan’s been warned on more than one occasion that Nathan is in love with Audrey. At the same time, he spends all day with her and yet he’s _with_ Jordan – and he’s the one who touched Jordan, kissed her first. So maybe, maybe not.

All of a sudden her thoughts aren’t happy and relaxed, but maudlin and dark. Tonight she’s going to see Nathan, hopefully have dinner with him. And that is enough.


	9. Day 2: Audrey

**Day 2: Audrey**

Audrey consents to Duke’s sudden desire to mother her with what she’s sure is good grace. Apparently he disagrees, because he suggests that she takes her food upstairs before she scares off the paying customers. After that she does try to relax a little and enjoy the food, which is admittedly delicious, especially as she has been living on takeout recently – when she’s not eating tinned pasta.

The company isn’t bad either as Duke joins her about halfway through her meal and seems to be determined to make her smile. Taking the opportunity handed to her, she manages to prompt some stories about Nathan and him from when they were younger which she’s not entirely sure are completely accurate, but are presented with Duke’s usual sense of storytelling flair.

“So,” she says after one particularly outlandish tale that involved two tall trees and an awful lot of fishing line, “you and Nathan weren’t always enemies.”

“Well, you know Nathan. Sometimes he’s a complete ass, and sometimes he’s all right. He has his moments. Occasionally. Maybe.”

“Admit it, you two were friends,” she teases, knowing exactly what reaction she’s going to get.

“Now, I wouldn’t go that far,” Duke says, palms splayed outwards and Audrey is pretty certain that if Nathan were here he’d be wearing the same expression – trapped somewhere between ‘bad smell’ and ‘caught’.

Audrey just looks at him and waits, letting him see her smirk. And she’s not quite ready to admit it, but it feel nice just to relax with a friend without worrying about Haven or Troubles or the Guard or the bolt-gun killer or the Hunter or any one of a number of the little day to day stuff that goes with those things. Also she can see Duke relaxing – teasing notwithstanding – she’s missed his friendship.

He cracks a little under her gaze. “All right, there were times when he wasn’t **bad** company,” he finally allows his lips twist when she snorts. His features smooth out after a second or two and he looks down to where he’s been fiddling with Audrey’s napkin, crinkling it and smoothing it out. “It’s funny,” he says. “Usually with Nathan and me, it’d end in fists and sticks and the occasional rock, but sometimes...well my dad hated me spending time with the son of a cop—”

“Bet you saw that as a challenge,” she says in attempt to lighten the rapidly darkening atmosphere – though she’s also sure she’s right.

“You know I did,” Duke replies. “Nathan’s dad – the Chief – didn’t like me either—”

“Oh,” says Audrey. “That wasn’t you. The Chief didn’t like anyone.”

Duke snorts in agreement. “Still, knowing what I know now about Haven, some things make more sense.”

Wow, it turns out Audrey’s getting really good at making everyone in the immediate vicinity completely miserable. Any hint that she and Duke are allowed some time to relax evaporates bringing them back to where they started.

“Hey,” she says. “No Haven politics at the table.” With determination she takes another bite of her fish. She’s forgotten what it’s called but it does taste good, too good to waste.

“Since when?” asks Duke. They’ve discussed the Troubles over meals before – though more often they leave the food and just hit the liquor. Sometimes Nathan joins them.

“Since now. I’m issuing a twelve hour ban on everything Trouble related.”

Which is when her knife takes the opportunity to start rattling against the table and her fork tries to leap out of her fingers.

“Do you want to reconsider that statement?” asks Duke. Both of them watch as – completely of its own accord – her knife leaps off the table and on to the floor. “Oh, this is not going to be good for business.”

The noise level drops as the patrons cease talking, noticing the possessed cutlery, for a moment all that can be heard is the rattle and then there’s a sudden cry of pain as someone is hit by a flying projectile. Audrey has seconds to prevent this turning into a complete disaster, to prevent people from dying in the chaos, and to do so she takes advantage of a couple of weird quirks of the town. That is, Haven citizens are very good at a) pretending nothing untoward is going on and b) ducking. Of course that doesn’t mean a panic won’t spread in the confusion, so before a riot can break out, Audrey takes advantage of the other thing ordinary Haven citizens are good at in times of crisis: listening to the police.

“Everybody get down,” she shouts putting as much authority into her tone as she can, and most people do just that giving Audrey a good view of the restaurant to try and locate the source of the Trouble.

Duke’s yelp from beside her tells her he has not gone down – she didn’t really expect him to and he can help.

“Start getting people out,” she tells him without stopping her sweep of the room.

“Yeah,” he agrees and she sees him move into her peripheral vision. “Stay down!” he snaps at somebody’s rising head.

Most of the cutlery is still on tables, wriggling and shaking, not moving much, but the odd piece manages to drag itself to the floor or fly a few feet before hitting something or just losing steam and dropping out of the air to clatter near terrified patrons who are smart enough to flinch or edge away. Across the room Duke reaches the door, and with a quiet murmur starts ushering people out.

To Audrey’s left a knife slithers off a table and then continues on a steady path across the room and Audrey watches where it’s going, where all the cutlery seems to be heading. Further away from the bar, under a table, Audrey sees a frightened little girl peering out from a gap between where she’s huddled between her parents. A spoon hits her in the face and she cries out, causing her mother to push her further back and down while a second spoon tangles itself in her hair.

Bingo.

Audrey begins to make her way across the room and she’s nearly there when all of a sudden every piece of cutlery starts to move in the same direction, picking up speed.

“Audrey!” Duke shouts from the door.

She’s already moving, trying to get to the little girl and her parents, but she’s not going to make it. As she passes she sees people knocking knives, forks, spoon, and less recognisable pieces of metal out of the way, the objects are not deterred, they simply continue on their way. She really hopes that whatever is dragging these things about the room is not strong enough to rip anyone’s jewellery off their bodies.

Audrey is not going to get there in time. A fork hits her in the side hard enough to bruise, but she brushes it off.

“Audrey!” Duke shouts again.

She must look back at him for a second, or down or something, because when she looks up someone is moving – faster than her eyes can follow toward the girl. The table she and her family are huddled under is knocked over as several pieces clatter into it, stopped short by the sudden barricade. It’s not enough as things are flying from all directions, but again, moving faster than is possible to follow, the same person collects the child and disappears out the closest door, despite the cries of her parents.

Swearing under her breath as the remaining cutlery either falls dead or hits the external wall, Audrey chases after the blur. Out through the same door, Audrey finds the girl up on road entrance to The Grey Gull, held securely in the arms of the bartender, Alec. Both of them watch her with wide eyes as she approaches and all three ignore the slight groaning of the cars and Audrey hopes the loose gravel doesn’t have anything metal buried in it. Voices behind her tell her that people are starting to exit The Gull.

“Mr. McDowell, Alec,” she says one hand raised. “Please let go of her.”

A bottle lid hits him in the side of the face and he puts the girl down so she can run to her parents, stumbling slightly at a loud crack as she passes a car. Her father scoops her up, looking at the pair on the road in suspicion and Audrey regrets the fact that she didn’t get to eat the rest of her meal, because she doubts she going to have time now.

Duke hurries over to join them and she can see the slew questions he’s about to ask forming on his lips.

But Alec gets in first. “What the hell is going on in this town?” he demands.


	10. Day 2: Duke

**Day 2: Duke**

Audrey abandons Duke with a hurried, “Call Nathan!” Because that’s just going to make everything better, isn’t it? Dealing with a Nathan who will be pissed he has to talk to Duke and worried about Audrey. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” he says to Alec who hasn’t moved since he put the kid down. Duke really hopes this doesn’t mean he’s going to lose another member of his staff.

“Nah, man I gotta get out of here, you understand that, right? I can’t talk to the cops, not now.”

“You saved that little girl’s life – they’re not going to arrest you for that. Look, just let me make this call.” When did Duke become the responsible one? Because he’s pretty sure he used to be a smuggler with no ties to anyone or anything.

He keeps his eyes on Alec as he calls Nathan. The other man pulls out his own phone to make a call, presumably to his reporter boyfriend that Audrey doesn’t like, which is good. It might mean that he sticks around. Unless he’s concocting an escape plan.

Nathan takes Duke’s call about as well as can be expected, starting with a rough comment about being disturbed at home and ending with a query about Audrey being okay. Duke rolls his eyes – if Audrey thinks she’s successfully pushed Nathan away she’s being wilfully obtuse, but that’s nothing new when it comes to the two of them.

“I’m fine, too, Nathan, thanks for asking.”

“You’re the one making the call.” There’s a brief pause, Duke hears the bronco start up down the line. “I’ll be there in five minutes.” And he’s gone.

Alec has already put his phone away and is waiting on Duke, his hands hang loosely at his side, but there’s a rigidity to the set of his shoulders that suggests an affectation that keeps him from wrapping them around himself. His weight is forward, ready to run at the first sign of trouble, though he doesn’t fidget or even twitch. Duke’s had enough kids wash up at The Gull looking for a job knowing he won’t ask questions to recognise when someone is running from something. He’d honestly thought that Alec was beyond that, early twenties, in a settled relationship – but this behaviour is definitely reminiscent of those kids.

If Duke were a betting man – and to be honest, he is – he’d say that Alec is well aware he’s Troubled.

Duke really hates the next bit. He doesn’t suck at much, but he does suck at talking about the Troubles even with all the times he’s seen Audrey gently break it to some poor terrified person – or tried to coax their story out of them. But Audrey is behind him dealing with the public and the Troubled kid and her family, trusting Duke to deal with Alec. He hears her voice rise with some sort of a direction and it’s followed quickly by deactivating car alarms and slamming doors. Haven general public is going home without paying their dinner bills.

Several cars start heading up to the entrance to the main road as his – paying – customers go home to forget that they were at The Grey Gull for dinner, let alone that they had a brush with the Troubles. Duke really hopes that this doesn’t scare any of them off for future visits, he’s already going to lose a night’s income because of this incident. He whines a little as the cars go past, passengers determinedly not looking at him or Alec.

“Come on, let’s go back inside,” he says. “We’ll need to tidy up, anyway.”

His remaining staff are standing huddled on the deck, loyalty and concern for their pay checks has kept them from leaving but he sends them home waving aside their worries as something that can be dealt with tomorrow. There are several bleak looks thrown at Alec as they leave and Duke winces slightly knowing that Haven politics are going to come knocking no matter what any of them do or say.

Inside Alec immediately starts righting tables that were knocked over in the melee. “Easy,” Duke says, taking the side of one to help lift it. They’re not light and flimsy, and it’s much easier with two.

“So, uh, how long have you been Troubled?” he asks, because he really isn’t as good at this as Audrey.

“What?” says Alec.

“The, um, fft-fft speed thing.” One hand waves a sharp fast movement for emphasis. “You knew you could do that, right?”

Alec drops his end of the table they’re currently lifting sharply and it nearly lands on Duke’s toe. He stares at Duke for a second with wide eyes. “Yeah.”

“So. Troubled.” And he’s not entirely sure where to take it from here, because it’s not like Alec needs it explained to him: he’s not dangerous and he knows what he can do. To cover he bends down and collects some cutlery from the floor.

“What does that mean?” Alec hasn’t moved, he’s still watching Duke.

Duke stands up again and stares. How can you live in Haven and be Troubled and not know what that meant? 

“Troubled? What does it mean?” Alec repeats when Duke doesn’t answer.

“That girl you saved?” he sweeps a hand outside where Audrey and now presumably Nathan are talking with the girl’s parents – probably about what they’ll need to do to keep themselves and the girl safe. “The human magnet? She’s Troubled. Probably have to be kept away from anything metal for a few months. People like her – we call them Troubled.”

“Human magnets?” he’s still just watching Duke, and the unnatural stillness is a little disturbing. Even Nathan’s not that good at the whole stoic staring thing.

Duke bobs his head. Audrey is so much better at this. Heck, maybe he should drag Nathan in; he’s had more experience than Duke, right? “Among other things—uh, people. I should say people. Our Troubles do not define us.”

“Like what?” asks Alec flatly.

“On Halloween I was trapped inside a house that was possessed by the guy who built it.”

For the first time in a while Alec moves, folding his arms. “You’re lying.”

“I am not! Am I?” he directs the last comment at Nathan and Audrey as they enter through the side door.

“Are you what?” Audrey asks.

“Lying about Roland Holloway and his freaky Halloween house.”

“That was a bad day,” confirms Audrey. “Good thing Dwight had some C4.” Duke could have kissed her for backing up his story but he doesn’t want to get shot.

“Stay away from Barston Road,” says Nathan which is more confirmation than Duke expected from the other man. “You the one who saved the girl?” he asks Alec.

“Yeah. I guess,” agrees Alec, weight shifting forward again, ready to bolt.

“A lot of people wouldn’t.”

No one else had even moved, other than Duke, Audrey and Alec, but that is Haven for you – everyone is really good at looking the other way.

“You saved her life,” says Audrey stepping forward, doing her thing at last. “Probably saved several lives. Certainly more people would have been hurt if you hadn’t acted when you did,” she says stepping towards Alec. Duke’s developed a partial immunity to the whole Audrey-act thing, but that took months. Most Haven residents crumble in second when subjected to the whole performance.

Alec steps back, halting Audrey’s own movement. 

“You haven’t done anything wrong,” she tells him.

“I don’t want any attention,” says Alec. His eyes dart between the two cops and his boss, and he’s standing an equal distance away from all of them, and much closer to the door.

Which opens abruptly revealing Alec’s reporter boyfriend, Logan something. Logan takes one look at the tableau in the room and pulls his phone out. “I’m calling a lawyer,” he says. “Don’t say anything else,” he advises Alec.

“That’s not necessary,” says Nathan. “Alec hasn’t done anything wrong.”

“It’s fine, Logan,” says Alec. “Let’s just go home.” His posture has eased slightly and he no longer looks like he’s going to dive out the door and disappear into the night faster than they can follow. “I still have a job, right?” he asks Duke.

“’Course!” says Duke. He has a bad enough reputation with the Troubled of Haven. The last thing he needs to do is start earning that reputation.

Alec nods, grabs his boyfriend and tugs him out the door into the night.


	11. Day 3: Nathan

**Day 3: Nathan**

Another day, another murder and Nathan finds himself staring down at forty three year old Joseph Sluiter – father of three – lying dead on the floor of his bookshop. The victim had been discovered by owner of the jewellery shop next door when she’d noticed that a window in the back room was broken and the door ajar. Audrey is interviewing her now, and the woman is hoarsely telling her story, saying that she is sure Joseph had no enemies – he was such a nice person, a good father, a good husband...when Audrey asks in a very gentle, roundabout way if he was Troubled the woman just tells her to talk to his family.

Sluiter has the same livid brand across his face as Marie Lange and the victims in Chicago and Nathan’s sure that the autopsy will reveal that he died from a stroke. Dark against the skin of his forearm is the tattoo indicating he is a member of the Guard. So he was almost certainly Troubled, but there’s no indication of what and he never had a run in with the police over it.

With a tired sigh, Nathan nods at the ME to take the body away. Another person dead.

He’s met at the door by Haven’s three reporters. “Care to give a statement, Chief?” asks Cale, eliciting glares from Vince and Dave. They have competition now, and they don’t like it. Nathan is mostly amused, but he makes a note to check up whatever information his department has managed to dig up on Logan Cale. Even with a Troubled partner, he’s still dangerous if he reveals too much and he’s proven himself adept at using his resources to find information he shouldn’t have.

“Not really,” is all he says.

Dave and Vince look pleased by this. “I’m not talking to you two, either,” Nathan adds.

-x-x-x-

Surprisingly it’s Claire who fills him in on Joseph Sluiter’s Trouble. “He shorted out anything electrical. Walked into a room and everything electrical died. Sometimes it’d start up again when he left, sometimes not.”

“Did you know he was a member of the Guard?” he asks.

“No,” she says. “Though I see why his Trouble might have been useful to them.”

Nathan could as well. Their own walking, talking, miniature Pulse – that would be handy. “Can you tell me anything else about him?”

“Not without his wife’s consent. And anything I can tell you, she’ll be able to tell you.” Which is fair. And also one of the reasons why Nathan doesn’t usually bother the psychiatrist about her patients – the other being is they often end up at her door after a recommendation from Haven PD.

-x-x-x-

Joseph Sluiter’s wife had no idea what his tattoo meant, though she knew he spent time with other Troubled friends, she’d never met them nor had he mentioned any names. He’d sometimes left the house at odd hours, but when she’d questioned him, he’d told her he hasn’t having an affair. She believed him.

“Steven Jonkers?” she says when he shows her the photo. “From Church?” she asks. “We left after, well when we found out about Joseph we knew we couldn’t stay,” she explains. “The Rev wasn’t real fond of the ‘ungodly’. We lost touch with Steven after that. Does he have something to do with this?” she asks. She’s been dry-eyed and composed throughout the interview, but she’s now starting sniffle.

“We don’t know, yet, but if you have any information on his whereabouts we’d appreciate it.”

Mrs. Sluiter shakes her head. “He, um, has a sister I think. I don’t know her name.” 

-x-x-x-

Jordan pours Nathan a cup of coffee with a tight smile, her eyes flickering around the Gun and Rose. “I have a break in five minutes,” she tells him sotto voce.

Nathan nods and sips his coffee, pointedly ignoring the other patrons. He knows that he’s not the most popular around here, given that most of the regulars are either criminal or the Guard – or both. Nathan’s not overly concerned about it, but he does focus his attention outward while appearing to be relatively relaxed.

When Jordan comes over to his booth again, her smile is more genuine which he takes to mean that one of the three people who’ve left in the past couple of minutes were whoever she was worried about. “Hey,” she says as she slides in opposite to him. “Sorry about before.”

“You have a job to do.” He brushes it off calmly. He likes Jordan, enjoys spending time with her and he’s glad to finally have a connection to the Guard – but he is aware of what it looks like to those on the outside.

“So do you,” she points out, her smile steady. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were pumping me for information.” 

He waits patiently, because that is pretty much what he’s here for – what she can tell him.

“It’s not good.” She pauses to gather her thoughts and Nathan gives her a little time. “Steven Jonkers was a member of the Guard. He joined the Good Shepherd Church to get close to the Rev, but after awhile he started to...”

“Believe?” Nathan suggests as he begins to form a picture of what happened in his mind.

“Yeah. He was supposed to be passing information about the Rev to the Guard, but was actually giving them false information and passing on secrets and identities to the Rev and his cronies.”

Nathan nods. A self-hating Trouble – it’s not the first time that they’ve come across that. The Rev always did have a powerful effect when he spoke. But none of that means the Steven Jonkers actually committed the murders. There’s only one way to find out for sure.

“Is he the killer?” he asks.

Jordan looks down at where her gloved hands are gripping the edge of the table. “Yes.”


	12. Day 3: Audrey

**Day 3: Audrey**

“The victim from Chicago is Luke Carmel,” Nathan tells Audrey when he picks her up from the station. “His widow, Charlotte, is Steven Jonkers’ sister. Jordan confirms that Jonkers’ is the one that’s doing the killing.”

“Any chance that it’s the sister?”

“Jordan says no.” And according to Nathan he trusts Jordan. Audrey isn’t convinced, but she does trust Nathan so she doesn’t comment. Besides there’s no reason for the other woman to lie about this. “The Guard have already informed Charlotte,” he adds.

“I’m surprised they’re being so open about this,” says Audrey. After all they’d spent months trying to figure out who the Guard were and where to find them and what that damned tattoo meant.

“The Guard want Jonkers stopped.”

“Badly enough to enlist the Chief of Police, apparently.”

Nathan’s eyes flicker to Audrey’s in the rear view mirror and hold her gaze for a beat before turning back to the road. “He’s picking them off one by one, Parker.”

“I get it,” she tells him. “I want to stop this just as much as anyone. I just don’t want the Guard to think Haven PD exists to do their dirty work.” She feels a little bit bad about what she implying with her last statement. She understands why Nathan is doing what he’s doing, she just doesn’t agree with him.

“They help the Troubled, too.”

Audrey’s on board with that one. “But what’s the cost?” she asks. They’ve been over this ground before and she’s not trying to nag him, she’s just worried he’s going to get in to deep and that she won’t be in a position to pull him out.

Nathan does reply, simply pulls over. “We’re here,” he says. 

-x-x-x-

Charlotte Carmel, née Jonkers, meets them at the door. “They said you’d want to talk to me.”

“Can we come in, Mrs. Carmel?” Audrey asks.

The woman nods and steps back, allowing Audrey and Nathan inside. From somewhere in the house, behind a closed door, someone is playing music loudly, from somewhere else there’s a television with a laughter track. The noise is chaotic and Nathan with his sensitive hearing winces slightly.

Charlotte notices. “Told the kids this morning,” she says to explain. “We already...well, we pretty much knew when he didn’t come home last month. But now...I didn’t realise how much hope we still had. Funny, isn’t it?” she doesn’t laugh. “We can talk in the kitchen.”

“I haven’t told the kids about Steven – I don’t even know where to begin,” she says. “Shit.” She drops her head into her hand. “They were friends. Luke and Steven. I can’t...”

“Do you know where Steven is now?” asks Nathan when she trails off.

Charlotte looks up. “If I knew where he was, I’d be leading the lynch mob.”

“What about friends?” asks Audrey.

“No, not anymore. I don’t know any from Good Shepherd, except Reverend Driscoll – may he rot in hell.”

“Can we have a list of anyone he might have been friends with before he joined the Church?” Audrey asks. They’ll have to speak with Reverend Alfero again to find out if he knows any of the people Jonkers associated with or knew well. So far all the victims have been associated with Good Shepherd Church in some way, with the exception of his brother-in-law, but there could be some crossover if they compare names from the two groups.

“Whatever you think will help,” says Charlotte as she reaches for the pen and paper.

-x-x-x-

There’s no one else connected to Good Shepherd Church and the people Steven Jonkers knew in the Guard – at least there’s no one that Charlotte Carmel can say her brother knew. Apparently names and identities of members of the Guard that may have been on speaking terms with Jonkers is more than the Guard is willing to give out. According to Nathan, Jordan has reported back with ‘no one is considered to be in immediate danger’.

Audrey is relieved to see that he is not entirely happy with the answer, but as much as Audrey would like to go and start banging heads together until someone admits to something, she has to follow his lead on this. And trust that he can get the information that they need before someone else is killed. She tells him as much.

“Something will work out,” he says.

She tries to believe him.


	13. Day 4: Alec

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 13. We should be done by the end of the week.

**Day 3: Alec**

When Alec arrives for his shift at The Gull he finds the place looking more or less as it had done twenty-four hours previously and nothing at all like it had when he left. He does feel a little bad about the state The Gull had been in when he’d left, but Duke had been unconcerned, shrugging off Alec’s apologies with, “Audrey helped – Nathan too, a bit.”

Leaving Alec polishing glasses, Duke wanders out into the back to do whatever it is he’s does back there and The Gull drifts back into silence. The rest of the evening staff typically arrive around a quarter of an hour after Alec so he has a few minutes to reflect on what happened the previous night and how he revealed himself to be a transgenic and no one seemed to notice. He turns the word ‘Troubled’ over in his mind – as he had been doing since he’s dragged Logan out the night before – it didn’t have too many positive connotations, sounding more like a euphemism than anything else.

Alec hadn’t been oblivious to the hostile glances he’d received from some of the other staff when they’d left the previous night. Duke had been sympathetic and careful in his explanation, and seemingly genuine in wanting Alec to return. Both cops had mixed a little gratitude in with the empathy, but had otherwise seemed unconcerned with Alec’s display. Had any of them suspected that truth, he was certain the treatment would have been a good deal colder. Logan had been horrified when he’d heard what Alec had revealed, determined that they should leave immediately – and be three states away by first light.

Once Alec had explained the reaction he’s received, though Logan had been thrilled – he finally had an explanation of what was going on in this town. He’d spent most of the night going through the old copies of the _Haven Herald_ that’d he’d managed to pull out of the newspaper’s computers without the owners knowing he’d done it. He’d eventually fallen asleep on his keyboard in the middle of taking notes on what possible Troubles could have caused what the articles described. When Alec had left for work, Logan had been cursing the Teagues for working too hard to conceal the truth, though he’d said he understood their reasoning – some truths need protecting.

Alec’s musings are interrupted by the door swinging open. “We’re closed,” he calls before he looks up.

The man standing just inside the door is massive, tall, blond and built. Alec vaguely recognises him as someone Duke knows – Dwight, maybe? – he’s never seen them so much as exchange a greeting, but the guy’ll come in from time to time to get a drink. He’ll throw a nod in Duke’s direction and receive one in return, but the real tell is all his bills total at 50% and that’s a privilege afforded to precious few, not even staff get that generous discount.

“Duke’s out back,” Alec says now. “I’ll go get him.”

“I’m not here for Duke,” Dwight says.

Warning tingles down through Alec and he sizes up his opponent. Based on appearances alone the guy could pick Alec up and toss him around without breaking a sweat; he’s built for fighting and he’s probably served as well. Alec would ask, but he’s not really into swapping old stories of military experience. He’s pretty sure that’s not what Dwight’s here for either.

Dwight, however, does not move forward. “The Guard come knocking yet?” he asks.

“What?” says Alec. Though now he thinks about it, he does remember Officer Parker mentioning something about them a couple of days ago – in connection with Marie Lange.

Dwight nods. “They will. When they do, say ‘no’.”

“Sasquatch?” Duke says from behind Alec. “What’re you doing at this fine establishment at this time of day?” When the man came into sight, Alec could see his mouth pressed in a flat line and his eyes guarded. He drops the cartoon of drink he’s carrying on the bench.

“Just thought I’d offer Alec, here, a friendly warning about being careful of people who want him to choose sides.”

“Sound advice,” Duke agrees, relaxing minutely. “Drink?”

Dwight shakes his head. “Got places to be.” And then he’s gone.

Duke watches him leave, shrugs and then starts restocking the fridges behind the bar with the drinks he’s brought out. After a beat Alec moves to help him.

“What was that about?” he asks. “Choosing sides? What is this? A war? And which side am I supposed to choose? Yours?” he means it to be challenging, and it does come out that way.

A bark of laughter, cold, humourless escapes Duke as he slams the last fridge door shut. “Hell if I know.” He grabs the empty box and heads back to the kitchen. At the door he turns back around and looks at Alec. “If you want my advice, you won’t choose a side at all. Stay neutral, you have that choice – not all of us do.”

The first of the kitchen staff enters then, cutting off any further conversation.

-x-x-x-

“Freak,” hisses Mike, a waiter, as he passes Alec, right before opening.

Kyla, a waitress, notices. “Talk to Duke,” she advises. “He’s good about stuff like that.”

“I can fight my own battles,” says Alec.

“Suit yourself,” she says with a shrug.

-x-x-x-

When he gets home, the porch light is on – as is the light in the front room – and there’s woman sitting on the steps. She’s dressed in black and has long black hair and she blends with the shadows like she might just be one. As soon as she sees him she stands and the movement, while not the lethal grace of a transgenic, reminds him of Max: beautiful, delicate and deadly. As with Dwight earlier, he reminds himself that even in this freakish town he can take anyone who wants to make an issue of who or what he is – whether it’s Troubled or transgenic.

“Can I help you?” he asks mildly.

“Alec McDowell?” she says. “I’m Jordan McKee. I represent an organisation that helps people like us.”

“Troubled?”

She inclines her head. “You have skills that could be useful to us – to help people.”

Of course he does, and she has no idea of the extent of those abilities – if she did he doubts it’d be a polite conversation that they’d be having in the dead of the night. And while he thinks she’s being genuine about wanting to help the Troubled, he’s not really interested in doing anything that risks exposing what he really is to yet more people.

“And you want me to help you, help these people by talking to me at...2:37am?”

“There’s a lot of people in this town that want to hurt people like us,” she says. “Sometimes keeping things quiet and out of sight is the best idea. We help Troubled people, Alec.”

He shakes his head, because she’s not wrong, but he’s beginning to see what Dwight and Duke were talking about earlier. And what they hadn’t said – specifically that Duke had never denied that they were fighting a war. Alec’s already involved in fighting one war, with enormous stakes, and he’s not sure there’s enough room for another one.

“I’m not one for joining up, or choosing sides,” he says. Which might have been true a while back, but a few thousand lectures from Max and Logan later, he’s kind of come around to the idea that he should actually use his abilities to make life easier for other people – fight the good fight etc. Alec’s chosen a side it just doesn’t have anything to do with this town. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s past my bed time.”

When he moves to brush past her, she immediately steps out of his way, making no move to stop him. Her gloved hands going so far as to ward him off. “Careful!” she hisses.

Alec considers asking what’s up, but he really doesn’t want to engage this conversation any further. Shrugging, he heads up the stairs to the house – she can sit on his steps all night if she likes but he’s done.

“Duke Crocker kills our kind!” she calls after him.

He spins around to look at her and now that he’s standing in the light and her in the shadow he finds it hard to see her clearly. “What?” he says.

“He’s just as cursed as the rest of us, only his curse is to kill our people, not help them.”

“And yet, he’s not the one running around committing murders, is he?” drawls Alec. He’s heard several conflicting stories about his boss, this is just one more.

She doesn’t respond to that, just looks at him for long moments. “Just be careful who you associate with,” she says at last. “If you change your mind you can find me at the Gun and Rose.” With that she disappears into the dark and had Alec not been a transgenic with all the abilities and training that go with it, it would look like she merely melted away.


	14. Day 4: Duke

**Day 4: Duke**

Duke, responsible restaurant owner, spends way too much time at The Gull. It turns out that legitimate business is just as much a headache as he always thought. All the paper work – signing for this, checking for that, standards to be followed, staff to cater for – takes up so much of his time now that he is playing on the right side of the law. Is this how it is for regular people? It’s enough to drive him back into smuggling.

So he’s a little relieved when the door swings open to reveal Alec who is far too many hours early for his shift. But only a little, because there aren’t many reasons why his bartender would be here so early and there are none that he can think of that are good. Nevertheless he waves the other man in thinking it’s probably best to get it over and done with and there’s not too many Troubled people who can take Duke in a fight.

Alec stays resolutely by the door and his posture reflects that same guarded wariness, the same unnatural stillness from the night before. “A woman came to see me last night when I got home,” he says. “She asked me to join her organisation – didn’t say what it was called – said I could help the Troubled.”

Brilliant. Of course the Guard are recruiting Alec, he’s right up their Trouble-saving alley – his Trouble isn’t silly, dangerous or uncontrollable, he’d be an asset. And it probably explained why Dwight had been sniffing around the day before, because while Duke knows the ex-army ranger balances his loyalties somewhere closer to Audrey and Nathan it doesn’t mean he isn’t talking to the other side. Even if that other side happens to be the Teagues.

Alec’s arms are covered this morning, so there’s no way to know whether or not he’s rushed out to get the tattoo. And Duke may be sympathetic to Troubled kids who wander into Haven unknowingly, but he’s not going to have a member of the Guard working for him.

“You get inked then?” he asks and it’s a bit ironic because Duke has tattoos of his own, but that’s not the point here. Definitely not the point.

Alec actually flinches slightly and his right hand comes up like maybe it’s going to rub the back of his neck, but he catches himself in time. “What?” he says in genuine surprise and something that could be horror.

“The Guard? Their badge of honour?” he indicates his own forearm, with a sharp gesture.

“Huh?” says Alec. “What are you talking about? I told her to get lost!”

Duke can’t help but blink and then just stare. He catches himself after a second or two of slack-jawed surprise. “Well, that’s all right then. Excellent choice.”

“I’ve got enough battles to fight,” Alec says cryptically. “But she said something else. She said that you were cursed and that you were a ‘killer of our kind’.”

“Of course she did.” Duke rocks back on his heels and looks at the ceiling, decides it could do with a wash, sighs and looks back at Alec. If anything the younger man has relaxed, whatever fear of confrontation he had has eased despite the conversation. Duke leans down behind the bar and pulls out two glasses and a bottle he’s glad Nathan doesn’t know he still has in his collection. He pours them both a generous amount and this time Alec comes over when Duke indicates he should.

“A little early for this, isn’t it?” the bartender asks, but it he accepts the proffered drink anyway.

“Not if we’re going to hash this out now it isn’t,” says Duke. He takes a sip and savours the taste as it rolls down his throat. It’s going to take more than a mouthful or two to make this conversation any easier, but he doesn’t want to waste anything this fine by gulping it down. Or maybe he really just wants to avoid this conversation.

“Two,” he says after a moment.

“What?” says Alec.

“I’ve killed two Troubled people. The first threw himself on my knife—” Kyle Hopkins’ blood running over his hands— “The second...” he swallows and tries to force back the image of Harry Nix lying helpless on the forest floor, dying, having attacked his son and a number of other defenceless kids. Duke killing him only sped up what was happening, and saved a lot of lives, but it doesn’t actually make it any easier. “The second was a monster.” He tries to find comfort there and in knowing that Audrey, at least, doesn’t judge him for what he did that day.

Alec looks at him with a gaze that is much, much older than the age he put on his application form. “I see,” he says neutrally and Duke can find neither condemnation nor acceptance in his tone.

“That’s my family’s curse,” he says. “Our Trouble. I kill a Troubled person, I kill their Trouble as well, not just them but in their family as well. It’s gone.” He pours himself a little more. “My dad and grandfather, though, they killed a lot of people; innocent people who just happened to be Troubled. I know what the Guard thinks, but I refuse to be that person.”

Alec nods. “So I don’t need to watch my back, then. And I guess I understand why you don’t announce your Trouble to the world.”

“Most people don’t announce their Trouble to the world.” Because outside of Haven it makes people think you’ve lost your mind and inside of Haven it draws lines across the town and puts you into a box, whether you like it or not.

“I’m not Troubled,” Alec says after a beat. He spins his glass and the remaining whiskey forms a whirlpool instead of sloshing over the edge. “I know what you’re thinking, but I’m not. I’m...something else.”

“You do something normal people don’t, you have to hide what you are, people in this town are going to try to make you choose sides no matter what – sounds like a Trouble to me.”

“Maybe. But if people found out what I really am, they’d run me out of town.”

Duke spins in his seat, the single malt has done its job and he’s not drunk, not even tipsy, but some of his demons have been chased off and the edges of what he is have been worn away. He looks Alec up and down: attractive, young, charming (and Duke’s seen him gently turn down more than a few patrons), his Trouble hasn’t blown anyone up (or dropped something on them, or caused them to do something life threatening or otherwise ruined their life) and he’s hasn’t come down on a side yet. Duke doubts that he’ll be driven out any time soon and he says so out loud.

“Thanks,” says Alec. He tosses back the last of his drink in a move that impresses Duke with its fluidity and the sheer amount of alcohol that goes down with it. “I’ve gotta go, but I’ll see you tonight.”

“Yeah,” says Duke watching him go. “See you tonight.” In the meantime he’s got paper work to do before the lunch shift arrives. He can ponder the mystery that is Alec later.


	15. Day 5: Logan

**Day 5: Logan**

Logan doesn’t often get an opportunity to wake before Alec, but despite a late night he’s well awake before six am. Despite the lack of sleep he feels oddly tense and perturbed, so he quietly slides from under the covers to go and find coffee and do some research about the town of Haven. It really is a fascinating town, he had to give them that, despite the conspiracy theories.

“Where’re you going?” He turns back to the bed to find Alec blinking at him sleepily. “You’ve had like two hours sleep. Come back to bed.”

Logan could argue that his research is important, and he’d probably get a pass based on that alone, but the truth is the mysteries of Haven will wait. And anyway, Alec is in bed, waiting for him.

-x-x-x-

At a much more reasonable hour Logan is back in front of his computer, perusing old issues of the _Haven Herald_ because for the stories have been completely sanitised nearly beyond recognition it is still the most reliable source on the Troubles. He has to give those two old coots credit: they’ve created a masterpiece – a fictional master piece – with the intent on keeping the Troubled completely hidden from the public eye. It’s a wonder the government never used them to keep Manticore under wraps.

The Troubles certainly make for an interesting passtime as he attempts to discern exactly what happened and what the Trouble was that caused the damage done by yet another ‘freak weather pattern’ or gas leak. But what has really captured Logan’s attention is the string of murders that have been written off as ‘unexplained deaths’, not so much the recent killings by Steven Jonkers, but the ones done by the ‘bolt-gun killer’. The _Haven Herald_ has gone out of its way to make those deaths seem insignificant, failing to even label them as ‘murders’ or even ‘suspicious’.

The police reports, which Logan has dug out of Haven PD’s computers without Haven PD catching on, tell a different story however. Logan fully understands why they might be keen to keep certain aspects of that story under wraps, purely to keep hysteria at bay. Given the nature of this town, it might erupt to something similar to what Seattle achieved with White’s public announcement of the transgenics, even given the relative size of Haven to the much larger city. What he can’t understand is what the kidnapping of Officer Parker and an unsolved murder from twenty seven years ago has to do with these recent deaths. The Colorado Kid had not been killed by a bolt gun, and Logan cannot figure out why and how the connection has been made because he can find nothing – _electronic_ – that connects them.

So yes, he kind of wants Alec to break into the police station to see if he could find something that might not be included in the computer files. But Alec is being resolute, and he does have a point – despite Steven Jonkers’ example – it would be next to impossible to disappear in Haven if he were caught. Unless of course you can turn invisible, which given the evidence might actually be a thing that someone can do.

Logan’s really glad neither Manticore nor the Familiars ever seem to have discovered Haven.

“There’s no milk,” grouses Alec from the kitchen. Logan drinks his coffee black so he’s not too concerned. “I’m going to go get some.” Moments later the front door slams and Logan turns back to his work, tuning out the world. 

He’s so focussed he barely notices the door open a second time and close quietly. Distantly he registers it as being a fast trip to the store and back, but he figures he’s just lost track of time again, focussing as he is on the picture from the _Haven Herald_ taken the day the Colorado Kid was murdered. He’d never really looked at it before, concentrating mostly on the content of the article. The woman in the picture looks oddly like Audrey Parker; identical to her in fact. His research had indicated Parker was an FBI agent who’d come to town on a case and never left, but she must have closer ties than he knew about.

The shuffling behind him is what alerts him something is wrong. Alec only makes noise when he wants to be noticed and even then he has to really try – his footsteps are completely silent. The hair rises on the back of Logan’s neck. He spins sharply to face whoever is in the room and find himself face to face with a man who is only familiar because he watched Vince Teagues sketch him under Alec’s direction three days ago. Steven Jonkers, a killer with a body count of at least six.

The man is just standing in the door to his office looking at Logan. He is tall, blond, unassuming and his clothes look like he might have been living in them for a few days.

“How did you get into my house?” Logan asks while mentally reviewing his options. The lack of wisdom in fighting a man who can kill with a touch hasn’t escaped him, so he’s not going attempt anything as stupid as a flying tackle. His cell phone is beside the bed in the other room and the landline is in the kitchen so there is no way for him to contact Alec or the police. In the top draw of his desk is his gun, but it is currently closer to Jonkers than himself so he’ll have to be careful about how he retrieves the weapon.

“I need to talk to you,” Jonkers says. His voice is soft and rough with very little intonation. “You have to know. You have to be saved.”

Logan inches toward the draw. “Saved from what?” he says. If he can just keep Jonkers calm and distracted...

Jonkers takes a step into the room. “From your curse. I can do that. I can save you, make you safe.”

“I don’t need to be saved. I’m not cursed.” Logan moves forward again and is relieved when Jonkers doesn’t come any closer.

“They say that, they all say that, but it’s not true. Cursed, all of you are cursed. You need to be saved. I can save you, but you have to want to be saved. Otherwise you have to be cleansed. I have to clean the town, I have to protect it, keep it safe from the cursed. I have to keep it safe.”

Jonkers’ rant allows Logan to reach the draw with his gun, but he can’t risk opening it yet and giving himself away, because if Jonkers catches on he could still do some damage with his killing touch. 

“How can you keep it safe if you keep killing people?” Logan asks. Very casually he leans on the desk gripping the edge above the draw.

“I tried to save them, but they refused. So I had to save the town. Now I have to save you. Don’t do that!” he says suddenly as Logan’s grip changes to the draw.

Advantage of surprise lost, Logan moves quickly, jerking open the draw, grabbing the gun and bringing it up to point at Jonkers, just as the man begins to rush him. Gun pointed firmly at his head, Jonkers comes to an abrupt stop, slightly cross-eyed as he watches the barrel. 

His lips twist oddly. “Do you think you can stop me?” He raises his hand and brushes Logan’s cheek.

Immediately, Logan feels light headed, dizzy, and an odd warmth radiates from the place where Jonkers touched him, turning to numbness. Reacting almost instinctively Logan raises his leg his kicks outward, slamming a foot into the other man’s midsection, causing him to fall away.

Jonkers lands on his back, winded but laughing. Logan staggers slightly, but brings the gun back in line with Jonker’s head, no matter how much it tries to list to the left. Unfortunately, he is still within reach of his attacker so Jonkers reaches out and grabs his ankle, throwing Logan completely off balance and his knees hit the floor – but not before he gets off a shot. It goes wide, but the cry of pain tells him he hit his mark, and he can see blood spread across Jonkers’ shoulder. However, it’s not enough to subdue the man and he can see the man sitting up and moving towards him.

In the distance a door slams. “Logan!”

He tries to call out to Alec, but the sound that comes out of his mouth is strangely garbled. His body refusing to respond properly, all he can do is watch as Steven Jonker’s hand approaches his face and think that after all the times he’s faces down death this is how it’s going to end. He’s not sure even a transgenic can save him this time.

But the universe isn’t done with Logan yet and he should know better than to doubt Alec – because centimetres from his face, Steven Jonkers is suddenly jerked sidewards. The murderer lands on his front, Alec kneeling on his back, pinning his hands to his side. He tries to struggle, but there’s no way he’s a match for a transgenic.

“It was you,” says Jonkers. “Not him – you!”

“And your dumb mistake got you caught.” With his free hand he slams Jonker’s head down on the floor, knocking him unconscious and probably breaking his nose.

A heartbeat later and Alec is in front of Logan, hands gripping his shoulders. “Logan, are you still with me? Logan?”

Logan tries to tell Alec that he thinks he might need an ambulance but his tongue can’t wrap around the words correctly and he can’t verbalise his thoughts at all.

Alec swears and pulls out his phone, jabbing at the buttons. He waits for a moment for the line to connect. “I need an ambulance and the police,” he says biting the words out and giving their address. There’s a slight pause while he waits for a response. “Because I caught your fucking murderer, that’s why,” he snaps before ending the call.

He reaches out and cups Logan’s face, thankfully choosing the side that isn’t numb. “Stay with me, okay?”

There are sirens in the distance as Logan manages something like a jerking nod.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Only the epilogue to go.


	16. Epilogue: Claire

**Epilogue: Claire**

Claire taps lightly on Audrey’s door and sticks her head in to find the other woman sitting at her desk scowling at her computer. “You missed our session this morning,” Claire tells her.

Audrey makes her face and opens her mouth to respond – with something snappy, no doubt – but Claire hold up her hands. “It’s all right, Nathan wrote you a note excusing you from class.” She is gratified to see Audrey relax and smile a little. “Come on, I thought we could make it up over lunch.”

“I have work to do, Claire,” says Audrey. She may not longer be openly hostile, but she can still be guarded when pushed. “I have to figure out how to write up how a man can cause fatal strokes in his victims as something believable.”

“Hey, you caught a murderer this morning – you deserve to have a break. Half an hour and you’ll be fresh enough to come up with all kinds of tall tales fit for covering up the Troubles.” Audrey’s sessions are supposed to be an hour, but if she promises half she can probably stretch to three quarters.

“One down, one to go,” says Audrey, mouth turning downward. “And I didn’t catch Steven Jonkers – Duke’s bartender did.”

“Yeah, I heard about what happened to the reporter – Logan Cale?” she asks and Audrey nods. “Do they think he’ll recover?”

“The doctor said it is likely.”

“Why did he go after Cale, anyway? I thought his partner is the one who is Troubled?” she asks.

“Apparently, he was confused – got them mixed up. He went after them because he knew they’d talked to someone from Good Shepherd Church and he wanted to give them a chance to, I don’t know, repent or confess or something,” Audrey says.

Nathan has asked Claire to speak with Steven Jonkers and see if she can get anything coherent out of him. She hasn’t yet, but from what she hearing from Audrey she doesn’t think she’s going to be able to get anything. “I suppose that was his motivation for the others?”

“He actually followed Luke Carmel to Chicago specifically to try and talk him out of being Troubled. And, no, he doesn’t seem to know how messed up that is.” She sighs and tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I have no idea what they’re going to do with him in prison.”

“Sedation, maybe?” Claire doubts they’ll be sending Steven Jonkers to prison – she fairly certain her recommendation is going to be a high security psychiatric facility. This is the part of her job she hates, dealing with people like Jonkers; she is much more comfortable with the confused, hurt and scared people who genuinely didn’t mean to do any harm and are trying to cope with their Troubles, however odd or dangerous.

“Yeah,” says Audrey and they both fall into a contemplative silence. “Not for much longer, though.”

Deciding this is exactly why Audrey needs a break, so she can keep mind off the Troubled and the approaching expiry date, she decides to change the subject. “So...lunch? Half an hour and then you can be back to covering up the Troubles, I promise.” 

“Is this one of those times when you promise thirty minutes, but really mean fifty?” asks Audrey, not at all fazed by Claire’s attempt at temptation. “Because you’ve already been in here nearly fifteen.”

Clearly something more is needed to pry Audrey out of her office so Claire uses her trump card. “I hear Rosemary has made pumpkin cupcakes for the fall.”

“That’s not fair,” whines Audrey.

“Stan had one yesterday, said it was the most amazing thing he’d ever tasted,” Claire sells it for all she’d worth.

“Stan had Rosemary’s cupcakes and he didn’t share?” Audrey’s love of sweets, especially cupcakes is well known in the department and most of the other officers know that it is dangerous to go to Rosemary’s and not bring Audrey anything back.

“Would you share?”

“No...all right you have me. Lunch. Cupcakes. But we’re back here in thirty minutes, right?”

“Of course,” says Claire. She’s sure with a couple of extra cupcakes she can probably draw it out to an hour.

“Do you know anything about transgenics?” Audrey asks as she grabs her jacket and they head out the door for Rosemary’s.

“Only what I’ve seen on the news,” Claire says. “Why?”

“Don’t know yet,” says Audrey. “Just something I wondering about.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got to write a chapter from Claire's pov! Thank you for reading.


End file.
